Silver Sands Factory Stores to help Tuscaloosa tornado victims

This is an overturned vehicle in the parking lot of Tuscaloosa's Forest Lake Baptist Church. (David Ikard, Tuscaloosa resident)

The Silver Sands Factory stores near Destin, Florida, will give discounts and special offers April 27-29 in exchange for donations to the Tuscaloosa Disaster Relief Fund, according to a story in the Northwest Florida Daily News.

"We haven't set a monetary goal. Our goal is just to help," the event's organizer, Peter Elrich of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory was quoted as saying. "I don't know anyone from there, but I remember those images. I was overwhelmed by how flat everything was after the tornado."

All proceeds donated to the disaster relief fund will go to local agencies and nonprofit organizations at the direction of civic leaders across the community, according to their website givetuscaloosa.com.